


Halfway Around The World

by the_albatross



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Longing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 13:54:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18605890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_albatross/pseuds/the_albatross
Summary: Inspired by a request on AQ based off of the Race Chaser quotes "I would fly across the world to see her" and "I would fly halfway around the world".Or, three times Willam tried to surprise Courtney and one time Courtney surprised Willam (with help from Alaska).





	Halfway Around The World

**Author's Note:**

> In the spirit of full transparency, I have not been doing well in terms of motivation to write. There's a lot of factors that have gone into this but for the past few weeks its really been a major struggle because I love to write and have so many ideas that I want to work on and share with you all. I'm trying to work past it and right now the best way seems to just be focusing on one story at a time and of course the one that is of the most interest to me at the moment. Originally I had a schedule planned where I would work on my older ideas first until I was caught up but for the time being I'm gonna try to follow where my motivation is leading me and start on the magical girls fic. Right now it looks like its going to be 5 chapters long plus a prologue just for background purposes. I'm hoping that I'll have the prologue and first chapter up in the next few weeks but I'm not gonna rush myself or make any promises about the timing until I'm happy with how its turning out.

He told himself he was fine when Courtney announced that she was moving to the UK. Honestly he had kind of guessed that this was coming but it still caught him by surprise with how sudden her decision seemed to be made. It was a little hasty in his opinion but also not his call to make so he simply wished her luck and assisted where he could as she prepared to move overseas.

This wasn't something entirely unusual with drag queens; follow the money and the fans and right now her popularity was soaring in the UK so why not stay there and ride it out as long as she could?

Willam understood that logic; that's what prompted his own move to LA after all but still...it hurt that she hadn't really talked with him about it beforehand...and he had to admit; it was going to be quite a change not to be able to go over to her apartment whenever he wanted. Not that he was that frequent of a visitor anyway with their own conflicting schedules most of the time but it was nice to have that option available.

The first few weeks after her departure continued on as they normally would have; he was booked and busy and hardly gave her absence a thought. There was no point; they were still texting and calling just as much so it was almost like she was still living in the US. The moment her move really hit him was following a return from a successful but tiring string of shows and his immediate thought upon returning to the city was to go see her. Despite her grumbling she would always let him into her apartment (he had the door code after all so why not let him inside?) where he'd plop down on her couch, pick at some of the vegan snack she'd undoubtedly be eating, snide comments to follow, and the pair would catch up on whatever they missed since the last time they saw one another.

It was so routine that Willam was already in the car and five minutes away from his home before he recalled that she was no longer in the city. A wave of unknown and confusing emotion swept through him but he quickly pushed that aside and continued driving instead towards the grocery store. He was already heading in that direction so why not make the most of his trip anyway now that visiting Courtney was out of the question?

As the weeks turned into months, Willam still thought he was handling the separation rather well. He was spending time with other friends, Alaska most of all, so there was always a distraction when he needed one. One of his particular go-tos happened to be their new podcast; still a baby in terms of the amount of episodes they produced but it was rapidly taking off with the fans. And it was something else to focus his attention on in his down time. In some cases he and Alaska were able to record in his studio and he had to admit it was nice spending time with her. Although they were technically working it never felt like that; they always kept things light and easy-going so the hours simply flew by.

More often than not after the recording was finished she'd end up staying long after the rest of Willam's employees had left and they'd either smoke and chat or find somewhere to eat. It was during one of these sessions that Willam was forced to face an unsettling truth.

Somehow their lazy conversation had turned to how Courtney was doing and being the one that was most recently in contact with her, Willam felt obliged to fill in the blanks. He scrolled through her messages as he recounted all of the things they shared with each other either verbally or through text and proceeded to show Alaska nearly every picture that had been sent to him. An amused smile rested on her lips as she listened to him run through his gushing with an almost child-like enthusiasm until he finally reached the end of all the possible updates he could share.

As soon as there was a lull in his speech, Alaska stated matter-of-factually, "You miss her."

There was no question in her tone, no hesitance; just her telling him something that he ought to have known all along. Those three simple words caught him by surprise and like a flood gate opening, he felt a sudden clenching around his heart. He tried to examine his feelings as objectively as possible but only one conclusion was ever reached. In a vaguely pensive and distracted voice, he agreed, "Yeah, I guess I do."

For the remainder of Alaska's visit he firmly pushed aside any other talk or thought of Courtney. However the same couldn't be said when he finally returned home that night. Once he was finally alone, there was little he could do to prevent his mind from drifting back to the older blonde. The more he thought about it, the harder it was to deny that for awhile now he had missed her far more than he'd ever admit, even to himself.

For so long he had refused to even entertain the thought of it that it finally took Alaska setting him straight before he fully understood the reality of his situation. He had to face facts; he missed Courtney...a lot...and right now, he was able to use work and friends to keep himself distracted but how long would it be before even that wasn't enough?

He honestly didn't want to find out.

*******

A simple solution presented itself in his mind; if he missed her, why not go see her?

It was all very logical, at least on paper. Throw in their career commitments and the actual amount of distance and suddenly the situation became a lot more difficult...but not impossible, he argued.

With little persuasion needed, he convinced Rhea to join him on a short touring sprint throughout the UK. He wasn't sure where exactly Courtney was staying but by hitting some of the major cities he hoped one of them would end up being close. It all seemed to be perfectly planned in his mind; he advertised the dates a bit more heavily than he normally would, knowing that eventually Courtney would see it, and let his mind rest easy until the time came to actually depart for the airport.

But it was odd, he noticed.

He would have thought by now that she'd have mentioned the shows at some point during their conversations. Yet she remained silent on the topic...Perhaps she was planning to surprise him...No, she couldn't keep that a secret even with an ocean separating them.

By the time the plane landed in the UK, Willam decided he had done enough pondering over the subject and figured he might as well just ask her upfront if she would be coming to any of the shows. For the rest of the afternoon he was checking his phone almost every 10 minutes in the hopes of getting a new alert but nothing that came through was ever from her. Finally about two hours before their first appearance was set to begin, a familiar name popped up on his screen. His heart immediately began racing in his chest at least until he read the opening of unusually long block of text.

'I'm sorry, Bill. I got a last minute booking for-'

He stopped actively reading after the first sentence, the message was clear enough; she was busy in another country, Spain he thought possibly, but no matter where it was, she wouldn't be able to attend any of the dates...she just wouldn't be able to make it back in time.

He waited until well after that night's show had finished before sending a follow up text assuring her that it was okay, that they'd catch each other the next time but his heart just wasn't in it. He was angry...with her and himself. He hadn't directly mentioned anything to her nor had she ever said that she'd be able to attend but it was still all too easy to allow himself to be mad at her. Anything to take the blame off of the pathetic state he found himself suddenly in.

The rest of their mini tour continued without a hitch and eventually Willam found himself calming down. Around the fans it was practically second nature to slip into a friendly, happy-to-be-here mode but as soon as he was alone, he could do very little to hide how miserable he actually was. Thankfully few dared to comment on it and by the fourth day he was at least able to act like everything was all right.

He still talked with Courtney at least once a week but after coming so close to seeing her in person, it felt like even hearing her voice just wasn't enough. Gradually he fell into FaceTiming her more frequently. If she had any suspicions about his true intentions she never voiced them. Honestly she seemed elated to see him as well, even if it were only through a screen.

Between the two of them, days worth of calls and video must have been accumulated in their ever increasing efforts to stay connected. Willam for one felt a little less lonely during these times but almost immediately after they hung up, when it was only his face staring back at him from a blank screen, more often than not it felt like his heart had dropped to his stomach.

He knew he couldn't continue on like this for much longer.

He had to see her, but how?

There was a fleeting idea of trying to connect with her in UK again now that she seemed to be stationary there but something always held him back. More than once he found himself pricing flights and hotels but before committing himself to anything he'd always close out the page and step away from his laptop. There was one final instance of this where he came so close, he even had the websites pulled up as he chatted away with her on the phone but yet again an unexpected problem quickly arose.

The conversation began easily enough, Willam was discussing his next sprint of touring; a full 42 days and happened to casually mention that he was thinking of taking a vacation afterwards. A small smile found its way to his lips as Courtney readily agreed with him that it would be well deserved but at the moment when he thought she would suggest coming to visit, she instead interjected, almost as though it were afterthought, that she was about to depart for her own new adventure. This time it would involved a return to her homeland.

As her pitch rose in excitement, Willam's spirits dropped until it felt like there was a heavy weight on his chest. He missed part of what she said next, other than reminding him to be sure not to mention it to anyone else until she formally announced it herself, but after a brief period of shock he gathered that she would be appearing on some dancing show. It didn't matter to him what the title was, all that stuck out to him was yet another missed opportunity because he waited too long to act.

On the surface he made sure to keep a bright smile as he congratulated her and wished her luck but in reality he was just barely himself together at that point. He was surprised to learn that he was more than a bit envious at how easily she seemed to be handling their separation. It hardly seemed like it was affecting her at all yet here he was, almost a wreck because he couldn't see her, couldn't touch her as he once been able to. Momentarily he wondered how he had become so pathetic, so needy and reliant on her but his thoughts quickly cycled back to their previous tours together. Back then it seemed so common that they would have shared shows every couple of months. And even if that weren't the case their homes weren't all that far apart. They could easily stop over for a quick visit between their hectic touring schedules.

In short, he missed that predictability; that no matter how far apart they were, at the very least they'd find their way back to LA and reunite for a few days. He missed his friend with a far greater depth than he suspected he felt for anyone else...and that thought shook him right to his core.

*******  
Following his revelation of this latest set back Willam was grateful that his new leg of touring was set to begin in just a few short weeks. Anything was welcomed at this point as a form of distraction. Although previously their podcast served that purpose, there were times now when Willam would dread reconnecting with Alaska. She never mentioned it directly but Willam rather suspected that she understood his situation far more than what she'd dare comment on. It wasn't that she was purposefully avoiding the subject, more like she wanted to give him space as he figured things out.

For months it felt like, he debated on what his next step ought to be. Courtney was doing so well on her show and so long as that remained true, she'd stay put in Australia. But she was so busy aside from dance practice. Willam just couldn't bring himself to pop over there in the midst of all her hard work. The last thing he wanted was to be a distraction for her...and though he hated to admit it, he was terrified of what her reaction might be. Even now with a screen separating them he still felt so exposed whenever they would speak, like one word would instantly betray everything he's kept hidden away while talking with her. He just wasn't sure if he could put himself out there when rejection seemed a very likely outcome.

But finally Dancing With The Stars came to an end and though Courtney and her partner ultimately lost, Willam couldn't be any more proud of her. Every time he saw her dancing, she just looked so happy and after ignoring the tossing and turning in his stomach, he pushed himself to book a seat on the next reasonable looking flight.

To his surprise as the plane left the airport the following week, he felt unusually calm, almost in the same manner as if he were returning home after being away for several months. The journey was long and he hardly slept yet once he landed on foreign soil he felt more awake than he had been almost any other time that he traveled overseas. Upon checking into his hotel and unpacking his toiletries, Willam's next move was to call Vanity. If anyone knew where to find Courtney as she gallivanted around the city, it'd be her.

After two full sets of ringing, a surprised and pleased voice answered his call, "Hey, Willam! What's going on? New order come out alright?"

A smile found its way to his lips as he recalled the last wig he had ordered from her; a truly spectacular piece he couldn't wait to feature on BeatDown after a few minor adjustments.

"Looks great," he replied honestly, "Can't wait to try her out..."

From there the two talked shop for a good 10 minutes followed by a quick session of catching up before Willam found a way to work in the true reason he called. Trying to sound as casual as he could manage as his pulse raced away in his ears, he asked the native Aussie, "You and Court up to anything tonight?"

The response came back all too quick and through the thick accent Willam felt his expectations shatter to bits and pieces, "No, she left two days ago."

Willam was shocked, barely able to catch his breath as he tried to force his brain to come up with any kind of reply. After what certainly was too long to avoid arousing suspicion, he was finally able to mutter a simple, "Oh..."

"Didn't she tell you?" Vanity questioned with evident confusion in her voice.

"No, I...I didn't ask."

There was another pregnant pause where Willam would swear he could hear the gears turning around in her head. The hand holding his phone was trembling as he fought against the urge to hang up right that second. Finally after what felt like an hour but was barely more than a few seconds, Vanity asked very cautiously, "Willam...where are you right now?"

"I..." his voice broke off as he realized just how vulnerable he had let himself become in those brief moments. No part of him wanted to admit what he done so foolishly but before he could help himself, he heard a voice he barely recognized admitting, "I'm about 20 minutes from your apartment."

"Oh... _baby_ ," the empathetic words slipped from her lips and shot themselves straight into his heart. His throat was threatening to clench shut as he heard her quickly offer, "Do you want to meet up? Drink or get a bite to eat?"

Tears pricked at his eyes but immediately his hand shot up to rub them away as he replied back in what he hoped was a level tone, "No, that's...that's okay. I'm a bit tired."

"Alright," she relented, sounding entirely unconvinced of his excuse. "If you change your mind, you know how to reach me."

"Right," he agreed with a shaky laugh, "Thanks..."

Before ending the call, he pleaded with her, "Please...Don't tell Courtney about this."

"I won't," she promised.

He knew he could trust her not to mention anything to the blonde but as for himself? What was he going to do now?

*******  
With the same bull-headed stubbornness he had come to be known for, Willam forced himself to stay for the full duration of his 'vacation'. It was tempting, almost too much so, to run back to the US with his tail between his legs but pride wouldn't allow him to give in so easily. He tried to convince himself that he was enjoying his time away from everyone, for once fully cut off from anyone he knew, Vanity included. Though he was tempted to be polite and at least meet her for a quick drink, he was too humiliated to face her in person. All he did instead was exchange a few short texts and sequestered himself away from anyone else.

By the time Willam landed back in LA his mood had taken a sharp turn for the worse. He was angry and mortified and above all, just plain miserable at this spectacularly failed final attempt to see Courtney. He knew himself well enough to recognize that it'd be best not to see anyone in this state but at times it just couldn't be helped. There were obligations to his career after all but try as he might, he was a bit more snappish with those around him than he would have been under normal circumstances. Most had taken to avoiding him for the time being, except of course for Alaska. She understood all too well what the likely reason was behind Willam's behavior and finally confronted him after they finished recording the latest episode of Race Chaser.

Without a hint judgement in her voice, she questioned him, "Courtney?"

Willam's eyes blew wide with fear and embarrassment. He turned away out of shame and proceeded to begin cleaning up the mess they had made during their recording but not before giving a brief, reluctant nod of confirmation.

As Willam kept his hands busy and mind distracted, Alaska tried to work out just what might have happened between the pair. She was sure if they had a fight she would have heard him mention some inkling of it but she had barely talked to him for the last few weeks aside from business, never mind actually seeing-

"Oh," she murmured in realization. Her heart had begun to break for her friend as she pieced together what he had probably done.

Standing up from her seat, she placed a hand on his shoulder to stop his frantic cleaning efforts and asked gently, "You tried to see her...didn't you?"

His fingers were shaking and lip quivering as he tried to bite back the flurry of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. Though he couldn't bring himself to answer, she already knew she had guessed correctly. Almost immediately she pulled him into a tight embrace and in a truly unexpected fashion he was instantly clinging to her like she was his own life support system.

"I miss her so much," he confessed quietly as he buried himself into her neck.

A part of him hoped that she hadn't heard that but soon he felt her hand running across his back while she whispered, "I know...it's gonna get better. I promise."

She meant well but Willam just couldn't find a trace of himself that believed her right now.

*******  
After his mostly private break down in Alaska's arms, Willam's attitude had undergone another drastic development. He apologized to those he had been short with but he was far from the normally happy and campy queen everyone had come to know. A cloud of misery seemed to hang over him despite his best attempts to remain upbeat and positive. It was easiest to pretend at his shows but when he was alone and there was no such reason to put on that mask? Well, he was an absolutely pitiful, soul-crushed mess.

About the only thing that broke him out of that state for even a short while was the time he spent with close friends, particularly his chats with Courtney. He had fallen out of contact with her during his period of misdirected anger but once he had finally snapped out of that phase he was all too eager to resume the same level of communication they arranged prior to his impromptu visit to Australia.

Hardly a day went by where they weren't at the very least exchanging a few texts back and forth. Their preferred method of speaking to one another was still video chats but with Willam's touring schedule resuming and Courtney's own various appointments picking up again, it was harder to set aside solid blocks of time for that activity. Even calls had become shorter but through text they could still maintain a deep conversation spanning across several hours.

One particular night they were following this routine between rehearsals and finally the actual show of yet another live version of Race Chaser, this time gracing the East Coast with their presence. Willam and Alaska had longed to bring the show back to their hometown coast and finally after finding a suitable venue where they could expect a large crowd, everything was arranged and booked.

The show itself was everything they could have hoped for after having so much success with it in the West. The fans loved every second of their banter and antics and special guests. They were sure they'd be bringing the show back for another round sometime soon.

Hours slipped by until the last fan finally left the meet and greet and the queens were able to return to their dressing room. Both of them were eager to check their phones and almost instantly after typing a quick message to Courtney, he found a reply sent back. He figured he must have caught her as she was finishing up her own schedule for the day as well. Like he was in a trance, Willam allowed himself to become absorbed by his phone and the rapid-fire conversation that had picked up with the missing blonde. He was unusually slow as he de-dragged himself but Alaska didn't make a comment on it. Actually, she didn't seem to be any particular rush either as she tapped away at her own illuminated screen.

Almost repacked and back in his street clothes, Willam sat down in one of the empty chairs and focused himself almost exclusively on Courtney. Their conversation had reached that lazy comfortable stage that he wanted to last for as long as possible before one of them fell asleep. By this time Alaska looked to be pretty much ready to go but still she didn't push her friend to hurry along. She almost seemed to be waiting for something, perhaps to talk to the venue staff before arranging a driver to take them back to the hotel.

Either way Willam was happy to lose himself in his chat with Courtney. Just vaguely as he typed away on his phone, he heard the brunette standing up from her seat and swiftly rushed out of the room. No less than a minute after Alaska had exited than Willam felt his phone vibrating in his hand with a new message of 'Do you have any plans after the show?'

He toyed with a myriad of responses in his head, ranging from an utter fucking lie of replying that he would be heading out to find some trade or just admitting that he would probably retire to his hotel room to sleep for the rest of the night but in the end, he only typed back a simple, 'No.'

An almost immediate response appeared on his screen of 'Good,' but before he could question it any further, Willam heard Alaska reentering the room. Very purposefully she walked directly in front of him with a confident and smug look on her face yet for once she was absolutely silent. Taking the bait with a brow arched in genuine suspicion, Willam opened his mouth to question her cocky little grin but a pair of familiar arms enclosing him from behind instantly shoved any sort of smartass remark right out of his mind.

Even before he heard her voice, Willam recognized the comforting embrace he'd been missing in the past year. Just low enough for Alaska to barely make out, Courtney cooed into his ear, "Hey, Bill."

There was an unmistakable tone of relief and longing in her voice but that seemed to pale in comparison to the similar emotions that threaten to overwhelm the dirty blonde. Firmly swallowing back the pricking of tears in his eyes, Willam shot up from his seat and spun around to face the shorter queen. She held a sheepish grin as she took a slight step back and waited as they decided what the next move ought to be.

The pair stared at each other in near silence, Courtney somewhat embarrassed by showing up out of the blue and Willam in utter disbelief that the blonde was actually here in front of him rather than just through an LED screen. Sensing the need for privacy for the three, at least for these first few moments, Alaska casually strolled back to the door and promptly shut it from any prying eyes of the staff that might dare to peak in. Nearly the second the faux wood hit the frame, Courtney pushed herself forward to wrap her arms around Willam in a manner that almost made her cringe from how immediately clingy she had already become.

Her voice came out just a bit choked as she murmured softly, "I missed you."

Of their own accord, Willam felt his arms returning the gesture with almost an equivalent amount of passion but still he couldn't stop himself from retorting, "Of course you did; I'm fucking awesome."

*******  
The reunion lasted no more than five minutes before Alaska announced that she was ordering a car to drive back to the hotel. Immediately deciding to join her, Courtney and Willam packed up the remaining belongings in the dressing room and hastily followed her out to venue's sidewalk to impatiently wait for their Lyft driver. The only small talk was made between Alaska and Courtney, the former using the brief opportunity to catch up knowing full well she wouldn't be seeing Courtney again for the rest of the night. Though it was nice to see one of her closest friends in person again, she understood that the elder pair of queens needed this time together more than anything. She would gladly allow them to have the night to themselves while she found other activities to keep herself entertained.

Upon arriving at the hotel, the three began to part ways in the lobby but not before Willam pulled the brunette in for an unexpected hug and very sincere whisper of gratitude. True to her easy-going nature, Alaska merely shrugged her shoulders and walked off towards her room with a pleased smile at a job rather well done.

As for the remaining pair, an aura of heavy tension surrounded them as Willam guided them back to his rented room for the night. Though he tried to maintain an air of disinterest, he felt his body all but twitching with nerves as to what might happen once they were finally and truly alone together. Thoughts raced through his mind of all the things he wanted to say and do but the moment the door had shut behind Courtney and his bags were deposited on the floor, only one thought remained coherent enough to follow.

Courtney allowed her body become entirely malleable against his as he crowded her against the wall with a dazed and distracted look his eyes. She expected him to be forward yet even being so close he still seemed so reluctant to actually touch her. A distinct fear lurked in his thoughts that the second he'd make contact she might slip away from his grasp and it all would be revealed as a cruel and heartbreaking dream. Though there was so much more Courtney wanted to do in that moment now that they were reunited, she remained patient and let him move at his own pace.

Very cautiously, a trembling hand came to rest on her hip until she could just feel the curl of his fingers against the loose fabric of her cargo shorts. Finding that she was still just as solid as she had been at the club, he gradually leant in closer until only a few short inches remained between their lips. He seemed caught between wanting to initiate that contact yet still too afraid to finally cross that last boundary. A silent challenge resonated in her eyes but the most he felt confident enough to do was raise his other hand to caress her cheek as their lips remaining ghosting just a frustrating few centimeters apart.

For almost a full minute they stood like that; each almost too afraid to make any further move that would collapse what little illusion still existed between them. Finally, Courtney raised the hands she had braced in anticipation against the wall and lightly pressed them into Willam's midsection. His eyes blew wide open in fear that perhaps he was reading the situation wrong or wasn't moving fast enough for her. But before that thought could penetrate his consciousness too deeply, Courtney suggested in a hushed voice, "Let's move to the bed."

Nodding, Willam wrapped a hand gingerly around one of hers and led them in an awkward fashion towards the still made bed. If Courtney had any intention of merely sitting beside him, he seemed largely unconcerned and unaware as he immediately pulled her into his lap. Even being chest to chest with their foreheads resting against one another, the minuscule distance between their bodies still felt like too much space was left. Willam's hands had returned to their position of clutching at her hips so tightly that she feel every flex and twitch of the muscles in his fingers. Her own hands quickly slipped past his neck and into his hair in a small attempt to prevent him from pulling away from her again. Their lips grazed against one another as she admitted in a pained whisper, "I missed you."

Unlike before, his response this time was sincere and immediate; a heartfelt agreement of "I missed you, too."

With those four words Courtney felt an unknown tension drain from her body and a sudden surge of confidence encouraged her to place a light peck to Willam's lips. The contact was brief but even so it meant so much to the pair, more so than any other kiss they had shared before.

Shortly after their lips separated the dirty blonde confessed in a barely audible tone, "I tried to see you...surprise you, you know...but I was always _late_...I'd get there and you'd...you'd already be gone...it always happens like that. I'd always _just_ miss you because I took too long getting there."

The last sentence meant so much more than those few words could ever express yet the emotion that filled each syllable betrayed his true feelings all too clearly. Courtney felt her heart aching for Willam as she recognized the symbolism in both his attempts to see her and in her efforts to see him. Turning his chin up so that he would look her in the eye, she told him, "I tried to see you, too...but I'd get there too _early_...and then I'd get scared waiting and leave before you knew anything."

Courtney felt a warmth rising to her cheeks as she continued on in an almost shameful manner, "I showed up at your studio a few weeks after I moved to try and catch you but only Rhea was there...she said you booked a few extra days after your tour to relax for a bit...mentioned that you wouldn't be back in LA until the following week...She offered to let me stay with her until then but I panicked. I _begged_ her not to tell you I stopped by...didn't want you to know how much I really missed you or make fun of me for being such a crybaby about it."

A halfhearted smirk worked its way onto Willam's lips as he teased her softly, "You're always a crybaby..."

His eyes shot to the bedspread for a moment before he found the nerve to admit, "I wish I'd been there though."

"What would you have done if you saw me?" Courtney prodded gently as she cocked her head to the side with the inquiry.

Shrugging, Willam offered a defeated sigh of, "Fix your makeup?...I don't know. Just..."

"Would you have done this?" the blonde asked as she ran a soothing hand through the messy tangle of curly locks wrapped around her fingers.

There was a painful, pregnant pause as she awaited his answer. He looked wracked with guilt as he finally confessed, "No."

"Then I'm glad we missed each other since it led to... _this,_ " She replied back with a forgiving smile. Gently cajoling him into looking at her once more, she asked, "But why didn't you say anything about this sooner? Why'd you let it get this bad? That I had to hear about it from Alaska?"

Willam forced back a guilty swallow as a look of utter shame came to rest on his face. His eyes held a silent answer of 'You know why.'

Courtney nodded her head in an understanding she came to know all too well with her friend. They shared another short kiss before Courtney urged him, "Please...don't be afraid to tell me next time."

"I won't," Willam promised. Though he meant it to some extent, Courtney knew he was still likely to wait, at least in the beginning, before he'd swallow his pride and admit that he misses her. But that was okay. She could read him better than anyone and with any luck, she could learn to recognize the behavior before it came to this point again.

The dirty blonde's eyes darted from Courtney to the bedspread and back again as another guilty thought was finally vocalized, "This always happens though...I'm always late..."

"And I'm always early," Courtney remarked gently. "...Maybe that's why we need Alaska...to help us meet in the middle somewhere."

The pair shared a fond smile and finally allowed their lips to connect in a manner they'd been waiting for since the moment they saw each other that night. Every bit of neglected passion rose forth as they allowed their bodies to finally express the emotions they'd kept pent up and ignored for so long. Neither knew how long they stayed in that position, neither cared so long as they could finally touch the other person but eventually the aching of their bodies eventually forced them to move into a more comfortable embrace. Laying side by side, they resumed their kiss for another few seconds until Willam felt he needed to voice one final concern before they continued forward with whatever might develop from this new territory in their relationship.

"What do we do after tonight?" He asked with genuine apprehension and fear. "Your hobby is jumping from one reality show to next on any continent that'll let your plane land...What's gonna happen to us?"

Brushing aside the curls that had fallen into his face, Courtney replied confidently, "We can make it work. It'll take a lot of trust, lot of compromise and a lot of patience but we'll figure this out....We'll find a way, we always do."

Though he'd never admit it, he actually believed her statement with every ounce of his soul. If she believed that this could work out for them, he was more than willing to give it a good, honest chance. It would take a lot of work but if were for Courtney, it'd be more than worth it.

A bright smile of previously unknown size broke out across his face as he finally allowed himself to push aside his pride and admit without any prompting, "Court, I really missed you."

Returning the gesture, Courtney asserted in equal measure, "I missed you too, Bill."


End file.
